Jack Nine suited

I've been on a downswing lately. This is the only hand I won in my last session. I played for around 40 minutes.


PokerStars Game #5487724433: Hold'em Limit ($0.02/$0.04) - 2006/07/07 - 22:53:49 (ET)
Table 'Vera III' 10-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: SellToyota ($1.48 in chips)
Seat 2: McGrogger ($0.62 in chips)
Seat 3: ramilou ($1.05 in chips)
Seat 4: TNVOL94 ($0.31 in chips)
Seat 5: Nitro.Pl ($0.25 in chips)
Seat 6: Reactrix ($0.81 in chips)
Seat 7: Deereye ($0.68 in chips)
Seat 8: halpgr ($1.76 in chips)
Seat 9: desertcat ($1.41 in chips)
Seat 10: El Cabonk ($1.30 in chips)
McGrogger: posts small blind $0.01
ramilou: posts big blind $0.02
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to halpgr [Jc 9c]
TNVOL94: calls $0.02
Nitro.Pl: calls $0.02
Reactrix: folds
Deereye: calls $0.02
halpgr: calls $0.02
desertcat: calls $0.02
El Cabonk: calls $0.02
SellToyota: folds
McGrogger: folds
ramilou: checks

--> J9s in MP2. I considered folding this preflop but three people limped in before me, giving me pot odds to see the flop. The table is loose passive with little preflop raising so I figured some more people would also call the blinds with low chance of it being raised.

*** FLOP *** [Jh 8h 7c]
ramilou: checks
TNVOL94: checks
Nitro.Pl: checks
Deereye: checks
halpgr: bets $0.02
desertcat: calls $0.02
El Cabonk: calls $0.02
ramilou: calls $0.02
TNVOL94: calls $0.02
Nitro.Pl: folds
Deereye: folds

--> This is a favorable flop for me. I pick up top pair with a medium kicker. I also have a gutshot straight draw with a Ten, as well as a backdoor flush draw. It's checked to me so I bet at it. Lots of people call but no raises so I'm not sure what to make it of it.

*** TURN *** [Jh 8h 7c] [4h]
ramilou: checks
TNVOL94: checks
halpgr: checks
desertcat: checks
El Cabonk: checks

--> Turn is a third heart, which with 5 people still in the hand is a possibility. I checked through with two to act behind me. I feel this is not a good play. I should have taken a bet/fold line here. No opponent has shown any aggression yet at this pot. I'm probably still in the lead at this point. It is much more likely someone is one card from a flush than having a flush. I think the downswing has made me more defensive and thinking bad beats and slow play when it isn't there.

*** RIVER *** [Jh 8h 7c 4h] [2d]
ramilou: checks
TNVOL94: checks
halpgr: checks
desertcat: checks
El Cabonk: checks

--> With two still to act behind me I check through the river card which looks like a blank and hope for a cheap showdown. This would have been a tough call to make on the river if someone bet at it.

*** SHOW DOWN ***
ramilou: shows [2c Tc] (a pair of Deuces)
TNVOL94: mucks hand [Kd Td]
halpgr: shows [Jc 9c] (a pair of Jacks)
desertcat: mucks hand [Ac 2h]
El Cabonk: shows [2s Qs] (a pair of Deuces)
halpgr collected $0.25 from pot

I won this hand, but still lost a bit in the session -1.5BB. I'm thinking of changing things up. I'm still more than +50BB ahead at 2c/4c limit. Plus I have enough bankroll for the next level 5c/10c. I think I'll take a 50BB shot at 5c/10c limit hold'em and see how that goes. If it doesn't stick then I may branch out from limit and try some other games such as no-limit ring or pot limit ring. I may enjoy them more or be more successful at them. I won't know unless I try.

Why not? I'm a recreational player with a day job and no expectation or entitlement to win anything. My only requirement is to enjoy it. My only plan is to not deposit any additional money than my initial deposit of less than $100. I can keep 300 BB for 2c/4c as a last stand reserve if the other areas are unsuccessful which they may very well be.